Reitz advances proposal to increase radon awareness

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Last week, state Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) passed legislation through the House Environmental Health Committee to raise awareness of radon and increase reporting of radon between landlords and tenants.

House Bill 5224 would require a landlord to disclose to each tenant any information about any prior radon testing or mitigation. Furthermore, if a tenant chooses to have their unit tested for radon and hazardous levels are found to be present, they must inform the landlord within ten days of the results. The landlord would then be required to have mitigation performed on the unit or allow the tenant to terminate the lease.

Testifying with Reitz were Angela Tin of the American Lung Association of Illinois and Waterloo resident Gloria Linnertz, whose husband passed away in 2006 from lung cancer caused by radon.

"Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in our country and the only way to detect the deadly gas is to have your home tested," Reitz said. "Radon testing can save lives and I will continue working to raise awareness of radon's harmful effects and encourage residents to test their homes.

The bill now moves to the House floor for a vote.